This invention relates to molded case circuit breakers of the residential and commercial frame type. More particularly, the invention relates to circuit breakers of the aforementioned type which are thermally actuated to cause the separation of the circuit breaker contacts.
Residential and commercial frame circuit breakers are utilized in panelboards and load centers for protecting branch lighting and appliance circuits. Circuit breakers of this type are available in various ampere ratings, the most common being 15 and 20 ampere rated breakers. Commonly, breakers of the two ratings are structurally the same but utilize thermal trip elements having different operating characteristics. Accordingly, the manufacturer provides and the distributor stocks two distinct breakers to accommodate both the 15 amp and 20 amp ratings, which results in a substantial inventory for both.